Surgeons’ coping strategies on professional stressful situations

Abstract

Background: Background: surgery is inevitably a stressful environment. Commonly recognized stres- sors include technical complications, time pressures, increased workloads and other mentally and emotional challenging factors every surgeon should face. The different coping strategies the surgeons are able to use were explored through a survey.
Objective: to evaluate the coping strategies employed by surgeons of different surgical specialties in cases of stressful situations.
Materials and methods: semi structured survey. The instrument was inspired in the classifications of coping strategies published by different recognized authors. The participants were asked to answer which of the following strategies were preferred in cases of stressful situations they had to go through: 1) logical analysis (dividing the main problem into smaller fractions, as well as seeking guidance and support), 2) positive reappraisal (seeking alternative rewards and cognitive temporary avoidance), 3) emotional discharge (expressing anger by crying, blaming, shouting or ironic humor) and 4) resignation (the belief that things cannot change and disaster is inevitable).
Results: 30 completed the voluntary anonymous survey (7 used only one coping strategy, 9 used 2, 1 three and 13 four), alone or combined according to the circumstances.